Sat May 31 00:48:40 2008

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Red Sox take advantage of errors to beat Orioles in 13 innings

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Baltimore, MD (Sports Network) - Mike Lowell went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in, including the go-ahead RBI single in the 13th inning, to lead the Boston Red Sox in a 5-2 victory over error-prone Baltimore Orioles in the opener of a four-game set.

Jacoby Ellsbury was 3-for-7 with a pair of doubles for the Sox, who took advantage of three Baltimore errors in the 13th to record their second win in seven games. David Ortiz had a double, an RBI and scored a run, while Manny Ramirez stayed put at 499 home runs, as he had a double and scored once.

Josh Beckett went six innings and gave up two runs on four hits, while fanning 10 batters and walking three in the start for Boston. Mike Timlin (3-3) got the win with a scoreless 12th. Jonathan Papelbon earned his 15th save of the year with a perfect 13th.

Aubrey Huff had a solo home run for Baltimore, which has dropped two in a row and seven of its last nine. Nick Markakis and Freddie Bynum each had two hits for the O's.

Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera went seven innings and gave up two runs on six hits. Chad Bradford (2-2) absorbed the loss after he allowed three runs, none of which were earned, on two hits while failing to record an out in the 13th.

In the 13th, Ramirez hit a one-out grounder off Bradford to Melvin Mora, who botched the throw to first, allowing Ramirez to get to second base. Lowell then followed with a single to left. Kevin Youkilis kept it going with another single to chase Bradford for Dennis Sarfate. Both runners crafted a double steal, Coco Crisp's grounder to Bynum was misplayed and both runners scored, and Crisp made it to second base.

Papelbon took over in the bottom of the 13th and got Adam Jones to ground out. Pinch-hitter Jay Payton then struck out on a foul tip, and Brian Roberts was caught looking at the final strike.

"They had some chances, we had some chances, but we gave them more than three outs in the last inning," said Orioles manager Dave Trembley. "We just have to play hard tomorrow, there's really nothing else to say about it."

Boston's 7-8-9 hitters combined to go 0-for-13 at the plate.

The Red Sox jumped on top in the first. Ellsbury led-off with a double and moved to third on Dustin Pedroia's groundout. An Ortiz single brought Ellsbury home, before Ramirez made it second and third with a double. Lowell then lofted a sacrifice fly to plate Ortiz.

The Orioles got on the board in the second inning. Kevin Millar had a one-out single and Luke Scott followed with another base hit that left runners on the corners. Then, with Ramon Hernandez batting, Scott stole second base and Jason Varitek threw the ball into the outfield, allowing Millar to score.

Baltimore tied the game in the fourth, as Huff led off with a home run.

With the score even at two, George Sherrill retired the Red Sox in order in the ninth.

Manny Delcarmen retired Hernandez and Jones to begin the home ninth, but Bynum clubbed a single to right, and stole second during Roberts' at-bat. Roberts drew a walk, but Mora grounded out to kill the rally, and the clubs headed for extra innings.

Game Notes

Friday was Ramirez's 36th birthday...The Red Sox are 2-5 on their current 10- game road trip...The Orioles are 3-20 when scoring three runs or less...The Orioles struck out a season-high 17 times and made a season-high four errors...Baltimore swept a two-game home set over Boston in mid-May, but has still lost 17 of its last 24 at home versus the Red Sox...The Red Sox placed pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka on the 15-day disabled list with a mild strain of his right rotator cuff on Friday. To replace Matsuzaka on the roster, the Red Sox purchased the contract of first baseman-outfielder Jeff Bailey from Triple-A Pawtucket...Boston outfielder J.D. Drew sat out of Friday's game with vertigo. Ellsbury started in right field in lieu of Drew, who is day-to- day...The Red Sox stole six bases on Friday, setting a new club record.